


Little Mischief

by yinngoh



Series: Along the Way [1]
Category: Merlin (TV), Pocahontas (1995)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-13
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-02-13 00:28:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2130231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yinngoh/pseuds/yinngoh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1613... It would seem, that after little more over a decade, I will be returning home; to new people, cities, and a new king.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Mischief

**Author's Note:**

> A series of drabbles detailing Merlin's adventures over the years... Will be posted as separate stories under the series 'Along the Way'; so if you're bookmarking/subbing, do the series! (:
> 
> Forewarning! This series has little-to-no storyline behind it... Just writing these to pass time / relieve stress, so don't expect anything crazy ! Also, these are not beta'd (exactly because I'm writing them so simply) so beware of errors and sorry :P

_1613…_

_Like all things, I did not expect for Pocahontas to approach me today for advice. She told me about this man, John Smith she said, whom she feels a strong connection with. She told me of how they had secretly been meeting – with the gentle nudges of encouragement of Willow, that meddling woman – and how a misunderstanding ended up with John being captured._

_I’m not sure if I should involve myself in their affairs. But I had given her any advice I could on that if she really felt that what she believed was right is, willing enough to die for it, she should do what she can._

 

* * *

“Then you will help?” She inquired in a sure voice that told him she had found the resolve to her answer. He turned his head and felt the quivering in the earth; malicious intent staining the harmony and discord spreading from the impending clash.

                “I cannot have a hand in altering the path set before you,” Merlin stood and brushed off the dust from his breeches. “But I will do what I can to see that the casualties are minimised.”

A relieved smile broke across Pocahontas’ face as she nodded and turned, knowing that she could trust Merlin to watch over the encounter, whilst understanding his proclivity for acting from the sidelines.

Closing his eyes to the sound of her swift footsteps, Merlin willed himself to the epicentre of the upcoming clash. He inhaled deeply, frowning at the heaviness of the atmosphere. Kneeling down as he waited, Merlin touched his fingers to the earth beneath him – still relishing in the pureness of it, but already becoming weaker under the stress of man’s greedy evolution.

Extending his magic into the earth was like touching Mother Nature touch his soul. He shivered at the headiness and rush of life and in turn attempted to sooth the ground beneath him as its few occupants were almost all proclaiming for bloodshed.

Even though he was old enough to know the futility of ‘hoping’ for something to happen without actions, Merlin prayed that Pocahontas would be successful. He looked up at the thundering sounds of feet approaching.

He set his eyes on the man – John Smith – for the first time as he was thrown haphazardly onto a sacrificial rock and Merlin stood, body coiled in tension. In his peripheral vision, he saw Pocahontas fly through the crowd and throw herself over Smith.

Merlin raised a hand in alarm as the chief struck out with his stuff but, thankfully, stopped short of his daughter. He watched in anticipation and slight pride as Pocahontas fought for her own beliefs.

                “This is the path I choose, Father,” Pocahontas stated with conviction, prepared to die for treason. “What will yours be?”

Chief Powhatan’s eyes widened at the fire in his daughter’s eyes and, for the first time, looked around him. He saw two opposing sides, prepared to fight to extinction.  A swirl of wind brushed up around him and the chief opened himself to the Mother’s heeds.

Turning discreetly to the treeline, he spotted a familiarly rugged figure standing watch. Meeting one another’s eyes, Merlin nodded minutely at the chief, who lowered his staff slowly in consideration, before lifting it high above his head in acceptance.

                “My daughter speaks with a wisdom beyond her years. We have all come here with anger in our hearts, but she comes with courage and understanding. From this day forward, if there is to be more killing…” he put down his staff decisively, “it will not start with me.”

Confused yet respectful, the tribal warriors lowered their weapons as John Smith was freed. Merlin’s eyes immediately darted towards the colonists, observing warily.

                “Now’s our chance!” A large man at the front exclaimed. His subordinates  stepped out one by one and shook their heads, arguing against his senseless violence. “Fine, I’ll settle this myself,” the man grabbed a pistol and aimed it.

Merlin knew exactly who would be the target, but he could not bring himself to take action. He knew from past experience – Mordred – that sometimes thinking that he’d altered the course of history simply set in stone, along with likely causing more harm than good.

He watched helplessly as instead, John jumped in front of the chief and took the bullet, immediately trigging a chain of events as everyone rallied against the shooter. Casting a sparing look towards the group of Englishmen, Merlin stepped out of the tree line and instantly made his way towards the injured man.

The tribe members that saw him approaching made way for him straightaway and Merlin spoke to the chief in nearly fluent Powhatan as he dropped to his knees, “let me take a look at him.”

The chief nodded and backed away, whilst Merlin had to take a moment to calm Pocahontas before looking over John with a critical eye. The other man opened his eyes, wincing occasionally, to look at him in surprise.

Licking his lips, Merlin said, “don’t move. I will remove the bullet and cover the wound, but you will need to make your way home as soon as possible if you hope to recover quickly.” After a few years spent learning the Powhatan language, it was almost odd to speak English again.

                “Who…” John began to say, but Pocahontas quickly shushed him and muttered to him to stay still as Merlin ripped off a section of John’s shirt into strips. Clearing away the area, he carefully laid a hand and willed his magic into drawing out the bullet carefully from John’s body.

Concentrating on trying to avoid aggravating the wound further as John grit his teeth, the bullet finally came free and flew into Merlin’s palm as he quickly set it aside, pressed a cloth over the wound and used his magic to make it stick and apply pressure onto the wound before wrapping it with the strips of cloth an extra measure.

 

* * *

Merlin walked behind Pocahontas – almost awkwardly – as she strode towards John, who lay on a stretcher. One young man spoke softly to her, repeating words that she already heard from Merlin.

He gave the couple their space as they spoke for what could be their last time. Merlin stepped aside with a small smile as the chief approached and gave his thanks and blessings to John.

                “Come with me?” John pleaded softly, placing a hand on Pocahontas’ cheek as she looked to her father.

                “You must choose your own path.”

Turning to her people, she brought John’s hand to her cheek and looked back sadly, “I’m needed here.”

They argued on John’s request to stay with her instead, and she shook her head. “No matter what happens, I’ll always be with you. Forever.” She leaned down and they shared a slow kiss.

Gazing at them, Merlin’s mind unconsciously wandered on its own as he thought, _Oh Arthur. The world has become so vast now; you would have done well with this transition into intercultural understanding._ He sighed, wondering how the world sometimes seems so backwards.

He smiled at the thought that he could almost hear Arthur’s response; _and of course only you’d get to know the enemy first, Merlin. Just like you did in Camelot, and like how you have now._

As two men bent to pick up John’s stretcher, Pocahontas squeezed his hand and turned to Merlin. “Emrys should go with you. England is his home too.”

Merlin blinked at her blankly as the men turned to him. Before he could say anything, Pocahontas continued, “you should go back to your people, Emrys.” She took his hands in hers and smiled. “I know I will see you again, one day. I can feel it.”

He looked into her eyes for a moment longer before sighing, “alright. It probably is time for me to move on,” he looked towards the chief and nodded respectfully, speaking in probably his last sentence of Powhatan, “thank you for your acceptance of me. I wish you and the tribe many great blessings.”

                “Thank _you_ for watching over us, Emrys,” the chief replied, clapping him soundly on the shoulder. “You, too, will always be welcome here, brother.”

Merlin turned, half-heartedly, to follow the crew onto the ship. He stayed close to John, the man already looking sullen, and nudged him. They both saw Pocahontas standing firm on the edge of a cliff, waving her goodbye proudly to them.

 

* * *

_It would seem, that after little more over a decade, I will be returning home; to new people, cities, and a new king._

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Merlin (bbc) nor Pocahontas (Disney)!


End file.
